Irish Sailor Charms Her Way To The Top

London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition

Ireland's Annalise Murphy (IRL) is the came out the traps fast in the Laser Radial at the London 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition after she logged impressive double bullets.

Murphy, who finished 25th in the 2012 Laser World Championships, saw off the challenge from the class favourites including Evi Van Acker (BEL) and Marit Bouwmeester (NED). She goes into day two with a three-point lead over the Belgian sailor in second. On her day the Irish girl said, "I am delighted with today. But it is only the first day. There is a lot of racing ahead. In the first race I had a good start and tacked across the beat and pulled away. It was great. I couldn't do much wrong today. I have got brilliant upwind speed. It's all coming together."

Despite finishing sixth in the opening race by Bouwmeester's standards she was less than impressed, "I was disappointed finishing sixth. I had to do a 720 downwind." But the Dutch sailor and World #1 Radial sailor bounced back, "The second race was a solid race, very happy with that."

Beijing 2008 silver medallist Gintare Scheidt (LTU) finished race one in second place behind MURPHY but goes into day two in seventh after finishing outside the top 10 in race two.

Paige Railey (USA) finished day one in fifth overall, trailing Murphy by 11 points. On the racing the American said, "I am just focusing on the here and now. It's one moment at a time. You can't control every situation. I didn't get frazzled or anything, but you really need to change your tactics depending on the conditions."

The Radials resume racing tomorrow at 12:00 local time on the Nothe course.

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